Torpedo



s. B. JACKSON.

TORPEDOL APPLICATION FILED JAN|25,19H- RENEWED DEC. M191].

l,373,246e Patented Mar.29,1921.

warren s r GEORGE B. JACKSON, OF WESTMINSTER, MARYLAND.

ronrnno.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

Application filed January 25, 1911, Serial No. 604,635. RenewedDecember'l, 1911. Serial No. 663,218.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE B. J AOKSON, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of ll estminster, Carrollcounty, Maryland, have invented certain Improvements in Torpedoes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to track torpedoes employed for signal purposes,and it consists of certain improvements in the structure forming thesubject-matter of my application for patent, filed January 27, 1910,Serial No. 540,354. The structure set forth in said applicationcomprises a tubular envelop or container for the detonating material,which container performs the additional function of serving as the meansfor securing the torpedo to the rail head. Inasmuch as it is desirableto employmetal as thin as possible, it may sometimes occur that theshell of the container is not sufficiently heavy to perform the desiredfunction of serving as the retaining means. In order that it may be soemployed I propose to strengthen the ends of the metal container, andsuch construction is included in the subject-matter of my presentinvention. Ihis and other features of my invention are more fullypointed out hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a view illustrating a torpedo constructed in accordancewith my invention. in the position of use upon the head of a rail;

Fig. 2, is a perspective view illustrating a tubular body which may formthe envelop.

or container of my improved torpedo;

Fig. 3, is a perspective view illustrating the detonating chargeinclosed in a suitable water-proof wrapper;

Fig. 4c, is a similar perspective view showing a torpedo in apartlyfinished condition;

Fig. 5, is a perspective view illustrating the finished crimpedcondition of the ends of the torpedo Fig. 6, is a sectional view of atorpedo on the line a-a, Fig. 5, showing also an outer layer or coveringof paper; I

Figs. 7, 8 and 9, are views in elevatlon of the ends of modified formsof containers, said ends being partly crimped, and

Figs. 10, 11 and 12, are views illustrating successive steps in theoperation of crimping the ends of the tubular container shown in Fig. 2.

In the drawings, 1 represents a tubular container which may be made ofmetal alone, or of metal and fibrous material, such as paper, combined;the latter beingpreferably 1n the form of an outercover or envelop forthe tubular member. Into this tubnlar container a body of detonatingmaterial 2 is introduced, which may be-arid preferably is carried by awater-proof envelop or wrapper 3; such body of material 1 inclosed bythe wrapper being shown in Fig. 3. The detonating material preferablyo'ccup1es the middle third of the tubular contamer, and after it hasbeen set'in place, I propose to crimp or squeeze the ends of thecontainer tube beyond the body of detonatng material in the mannerclearly indicated mthe drawings, so as to reinforce or stiifen said endportions which are designed to serve as the means for securing thetorpedo to the head of a rail, as indicated in Fig. 1. While thiscrimping or squeezing maybe done in a number ofways, I may accomplish itin the manner indicated in the drawings and more particularly referredto hereinafter, in which the sides of thetubes may be pressed in bysuitable formers, and then the upper and lower portions between suchsides may be pressed down, being subsequently flattened when the formersare removed. 7

It will be understood, of course, that a terpedo embodying my inventionmay be constructed with a container substantially tubular, but notintegral. In Figs. 7, 8 and 9, I have shown sectional views of thecrimped ends of the torpedo container made of a plurality of pieces ofmetal. In using such form of container its value will be en- 'hanced byan outer layer of paper which may be pasted down and covers the jointsof the container. With such type of container, a body of detonatingmaterial-such as shown in Fig. 3 may be employed, the same as for thetype of container shown in Fig. 2. I

In the structure shown in Fig. 7, a container is shown made up of twopieces of sheet metal 1 which may be joined at 1 and lapped at 1. 'InFig. 8, the container is made of two pieces of metal 1 each of which isconnected by a. seamed joint whereby a substantially tubular containeris provided. The structure shown in Fig. 9 is substantially the same asthat shown in Fig. 8, except that the seamed joints are arranged in aslightly different manner, with the side folds lapping; affording someadditional reinforcing value.

In Figs. 10, 11 and 12, I have illustrated means capable of effectingthe crimping operation, although it will be understood that othermechanism may be employed for such purpose. In Fig. 10, the elementswhich may be employed for this purpose are shown in position for thefirst stage or commencement of such operation.

The end of the container is indicated 4, and it is shown with sidegrooves 5, formed by the members 6 which may be moved by suitable meansto the position shown. While in such position, an upper die, such as 7,may be brought down toward a lower die, such as 8, while stillmaintaining the side members 6' in place; the operation of said dies 7and 8 bringing the body of the container to the condition and shapeshown in Fig. 11. The side groove forming members may then be withdrawn,and the upper and lower dies brought closer together so as to finallyflatten the folded ends of the torpedo container, as indicated in Fig.12.

Instead of having the ends of the tube in the same plane as indicated inFigs. 10,

11 and 12, the side groove forming members- 6 may be slightly offsetvertically with respect to each other so as tocause said side folds tolap, the finished condition of the torpedo being substantiall like thatindicated in Fig. 9.

Fig. 5 shows a torpedo with the ends in thefinished orimped andreinforced condition. The folded ends are then ready to be clampedaround the head of a rail, in the manner indicated in F 1, when thestructure is employed in use.

In the present form of my torpedo, the detonating material is preferablycarried in a water-proof jacket, and the container itself, whetherintegral or not, may be additionally strengthened by the use of a papercovering.

Although I have described and shown a torpedo comprising a container forthe detonating material made of metal in which the ends of the same formthe means whereby the torpedo may be clamped to the head of a rail, itwill be understood that a nonmetallic shell, preferably waterproofed,may be combined with metallic parts, tubular or otherwise, so attachedto the container as to afford means for engaging or embracing the headof the rail and thereby hold the torpedo thereto. Such metallic partsmay extend longitudinally of the torpedo container, or only at the endsthereof which engage the rail head.

The crimping or squeezing of the ends of the torpedo container has thefurther effect of holding the detonating material in place; the crimpingefiect being carried quite close to both ends material. 7 1

I claim:

1. A torpedo comprising a tubular container for an explosive, having itsends crimped or corrugated, said ends forming clamping; means whereby itmay be secured to the head of a rail.

2. A torpedo comprising a tubular metallic container for an explosive,having its ends crimped or corrugated, said ends forming clamping meanswhereby it may be secured to the head of a rail.

3. A torpedo comprising a tubular metallic container, having a body ofdetonating material within said container, a covering for saidcontainer, and crimped ends forming means whereby said container may beclamped to the head of a rail.

4:. In a torpedo, thecombination of a substantially tubular element ofmetal forming a container, a fibrous cover for the container extendingfrom end to end of the same, and a body of detonating material locatedwithin said container, said container having crimped ends formingclamping means whereby it may be secured to the head of a rail and thefibrous cover following the bends of said crimped ends.

of the inclosed 5. A torpedo comprising a tubular metal lic container,havlng a body of detonating material within said container, and crimpedends serving to retain said body of detonating material in place formingmeans whereby said container may be clamped to the head of a rail, thecrimping action reinforcing and strengthening said ends.

6. In a torpedo, the combination of a substantially tubular element ofmetal, a fibrous cover for the same, a body of detonating materialwithin said container, and a frangible waterproof covering for saiddetonating material, said container having crimped ends forming clampingmeans whereby it may be secured to the head of a rail.

7 A torpedo comprising'a tubular container for an explosive, having itsends reinforced by corrugating the same, said ends forming clampingmeans whereby said torpedo may be secured to the head of a rail.

8; An improved railway torpedo comprising a tubular explosive inclosingcase having integral extended and longitudinally folded rail-engagingmembers.

,9. An improved railway torpedo, comprising a tubular explosiveinclosing case having integral extended and longitudinally foldedductile rail-engaging members.

10. An improved railway torpedo, comprising an explosive inclosing casehaving ductile extended and longitudinally folded rail-en aging members.

11. in improved railway torpedo, comprising an explosive inclosing case,having continuously formed ductile extensions, said extensions beinglongitudinally folded and forming rail-engaging members with foldedends.

12. A torpedo comprising a tubular container for an explosive havinglongitudinally folded rail-engaging ends.

13. A torpedo comprising a tubular container for an explosive havingcrimped or corrugated rail-engaging ends.

14. A torpedo comprising a tubular metallic container for an explosivehaving longitudinally folded rail-engaging ends.

15. A torpedo comprising a tubular metaL lie container for an explosivehaving crimped or corrugated rail-engaging ends.

16. A railway torpedo comprising a tubular metallic container for anexplosive charge having integral rail-engaging ends, said ends beingreinforced by longitudinal folding of the portions of the metalcontainer beyond the explosive-containing part.

17 A railway torpedo comprising a tubular explosive incloslng case, anda fibrous covering for said case, said case having integral extended andlongitudinally folded rail engaging members with which the fibrouscovering is interfolded.

18. A railway torpedo comprising a tubular metallic container havinglongitudinally folded rail engaging ends forming clamping means wherebyit may be secured to the head of a rail, and a fibrous coveringextending from end to end of said metallic container and interfoldedwith the rail engaging ends.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE B. JACKSON.

